Bakery closes

ONE of the top bread shops in Fiji has closed two of its shops in Suva and Raiwaqa.

Raiwaqa Bakery managing director Atela Yee said they were instructed by the authority to vacate the premises in two months.

"An investor has won a tender to lease the whole market. With that, we have to move out of here.

"Suva City Council had given us a notice to move out from here.

"They had given us two months. Right now, these areas (Raiwaqa) are all taken and I can't possibly rent from the Fiji National Provident Fund's building because Hot Bread Kitchen is already there."

Ecological Farms which is said to be a Nausori-based commercial farm hopes to demolish the structure and build a modern market facility for its products and plans to start construction work from next month.

The Chinese investor will take the whole building and the market and possibly the car wash area as well.

Raiwaqa Bakery Suva shop had to close as well as a result from the closure of their main bakery at Raiwaqa.

"With this closure here at Raiwaqa there is no point delivering from our shop in Nausori to Suva."

However, its Nausori bakery continues to serve the people of Nausori every day.

She said they would establish another shop in the future provided if it was a good location.

As for the company, Ecological Farms is owned by Billy Chen, who also operates Angel Club in Victoria Pde in Suva.

When contacted yesterday, SCC acting chief executive officer Bijay Chand said they were not in the state to comment as they were finalising documents.

Mr Chand said the council would be ready to release information next week.

However, SCC earlier revealed that it did not want to disclose how much the tender was worth but said it was valid for the next 20 years.